Stuck in a snowstorm

[wildbill23c]

Slow down, pay attention, stay off the cell phone, are the biggest things. Watch out for other driver's who can't drive worth crap, plan a head watch out in front of you beside you behind you everywhere for potential trouble. Slow down way in advance of a lane change or turn. If you have a manual transmission start off in 2nd gear to help avoid spinning your wheels, do not downshift or if you do make sure you are going slow enough before downshifting that the increase in RPM's from the downshift doesn't cause the wheels to spin and make you lose traction.

I learned to drive with a 2WD ford ranger, never had a problem and had to drive through 18" of snow one year with it. You just don't get in a hurry, leave a lot sooner than you normally would for going to work or wherever and you'll never have a problem, the biggest thing is slow down. I see so many people in their luxury SUV's and big 4WD trucks hauling ass in the snow, they are also the ones I see sitting in a ditch because they thought their $60k+ SUV or truck would save their ass in snow/ice. Yeah 4WD can get you going 60-70mph in snow and ice but it don't do anything to help you stop.

 

[pcollins]

I downshift a lot driving in bad weather. If you rev match you won't lose traction. In extremely bad weather such as when i drove home just now, I downshift from 4th to 3rd to 2nd before I even touch the brakes. Its definitely an art driving a 2wd RWD in snow but its fun if you ask me, and after a while becomes common sense and second nature.

 

[TheBobmanNH]

ANyone who says they like driving in snow is crazypants. You can be as good and attentive as you want, but everyone else out there is absolutely stupid and will attempt to kill you at every turn. For all the "fun" it may be it's just not worht the incidental stupidity.

 

[1986fordranger]

after living in a area with a snowy climate for awhile you get used to driving in snow and on ice . though 4wd is not a substitute for stupidity . although alot of people think so.....

 

[wahlstrom1]

Up here there's snow on the ground 5-6 months of the year, hell it's -32*c at the moment. Around here it's a part of life, don't even give it a second thought. I always have good tires, usually an aggressive all terrain or MT even, weight in the bed and I rarely if ever use 4wd and if I do, it's only to get away from a light or up hill in residential areas from a stop.

Patience, skill and awareness are key....

 

[slipshift]

after living in a area with a snowy climate for awhile you get used to driving in snow and on ice . though 4wd is not a substitute for stupidity . although alot of people think so.....

You got that right! Several years ago we had a bad ice/snow storm. We made it home from Little Rock in a 2wd Cavalier. Every last vehicle in the ditches were 4wd. Usually on the banked turns where you need a little speed to make it. The 4wd people tried to creep around and just slid into the ditch.

 

[pcollins]

ANyone who says they like driving in snow is crazypants. You can be as good and attentive as you want, but everyone else out there is absolutely stupid and will attempt to kill you at every turn. For all the "fun" it may be it's just not worht the incidental stupidity.

That may be but its not as if I have a choice in the matter. I drive 35 miles to work 1 way. gotta pay the bills. I'm not gonna call in sick and sit home on account of some snow on the road.

 

[TheBobmanNH]

That may be but its not as if I have a choice in the matter. I drive 35 miles to work 1 way. gotta pay the bills. I'm not gonna call in sick and sit home on account of some snow on the road.

No doubt. Not saying you should avoid it, just that if you enjoy it you're crazy. Or just not paying attention

 

[Andy D]

I downshift a lot driving in bad weather. If you rev match you won't lose traction. In extremely bad weather such as when i drove home just now, I downshift from 4th to 3rd to 2nd before I even touch the brakes. Its definitely an art driving a 2wd RWD in snow but its fun if you ask me, and after a while becomes common sense and second nature.

Dood All you gotta do is back the hell off the the gas. push the clutch in just before the engine starts to chug You wanna be in 3rd doing 15 mph , with the rig just about to granny from lugging. Fuggedabout down shifting and brakes. Just slooowwly letting off the gas., is all you should ever need to do. If the truck is rigged right and you're reckless, try pushing 40 in 4th, but , above that be aware that you are over driving the brakes and steering . I cant believe the Rat has such a good ability to lug I have only had it in sand so far , but snow is pretty much the same.

 

[wildbill23c]

Unless you absolutely know what you are doing downshifting gets a lot of people into trouble I see it all the time, combined with the idiots who drive lifted trucks trying to show off, and those who think that their $60k SUV will cover their lack of driving skills. We had about an inch of snow between Christmas Day and overnight last night, I can't believe the number of wrecks on the roads because people don't have any common sense to slow down. I drive a lot slower when the roads are bad, and always have some idiot pass me and I end up passing them a few miles up the road as they sit in a ditch. The skill of driving got tossed out the window when all the electronic traction control systems were installed in vehicles. Personally I hate them which is why I like my bronco 2 it has no traction control (ok, fine it has 4WD LOL) no anti-lock brakes which I find annoying. I learned to drive an 84 Ford Ranger and was my first vehicle it wasn't 4WD either so you just learn to drive the right way and you are fine, its just the idiots on the road who can't drive in good weather let alone rain or snow you gotta worry about.

 

[Will]

Glad you made it.

In my own motorpool we've got lots of vehicles. The best is my wife's 2005 Honda Pilot. It weigh 1,000# more than the heaviest factory 4x4 Ranger and has a brilliant automatic 4x4 system. I drove it 80 miles today on heavily snowed roads with the cruise on 60mph most of the time. It's drive-by-wire and won't let you go out of control even though I was passing cars over the snow built up in the median. It also has a push-button locking rear axle. My in-laws spent the day shoveling so I could pick her up, and I thumbed the button and bypassed all their work. This Pilot isn't an off-road machine at all, but it is the master of winter driving. You can hold the throttle to the floor (it's an 8.5 second 0-60 car) or the brake to the floor, steer wildly, and it will figure it out. The VTM4 is brilliant.

I normally have a part-time 4x4 and don't drive this way, but I was alone with my wife's car for 2 hours this morning testing the road for her trip to Dayton with the kids. It's seriously amazing the VTM4 4x4 system in the Pilot. I'm sure everyone else has their automatic 4x4 controls, but I only have this one.

 

[pcollins]

I don't really feel like re quoting everyone who just quoted me. so basically what it comes down to is just because i enjoy driving in the snow doesn't mean I'm not paying attention. I've lived in the same town in upstate NY my entire life and am more than accustomed to this weather. I've never, repeat never, even come close to being in a ditch. Been driving the same way every year downshifting/light braking and never had an issue doing it. I'm not trying to start an argument here, I just don't need people telling me i'm driving wrong. Everyones got different styles. Y'all drive your way, I'll drive mine because it works for me

 

[CarsonChris]

I love driving in the snow. Slow down and watch for idiots and your ok. A few years back I was driving on a snow slicked icy road and a work van passed me going "the speed limit" while I was about fifteen miles under the speed limit. This was going up a little hill. When he got to the top I saw his brake lights go on. As I came to the top he was sliding from the left lane off to the side of the road and infront of my path. I slowed and watched him hit the guard rail and bounce back into the road. His car was doing a 180. I steered to his right as he was going back across the highway. His eyes were as big as saucers as he was faced into oncomming traffic. That was about the 15th car I watched go off the road that day in a 20mile drive.

 

[pcollins]

I've only seen one vehicle ever spin out. I was going south on the interstate and someone on the North side was merging on and spun out. Wasn't anything serious. Them truckers though, they go pretty fast in bad weather. I get passed all the time by 18 wheelers in bad weather.

 

[Andy D]

Just saying is all grasshopper. When I was your age I raised all sorts of hell in snow. I musta been a crappy driver , because I ran off the road a few times. 3 posters suggested that you just drive slower. The trouble with snow is that sometimes it covers ice. or other unknowns. You just never effen know what can happen until it happens.